Apple cider vinegar for rosacea

Some of us use apple cider vinegar for rosacea. Considering how cheap it is, why not give it a try?

Apple cider vinegar is a form of acetic acid. The difference between it and other vinegars is that it has more minerals and vitamins, like potassium and beta-carotene, and enzymes (the chunky, stringy things you see floating around in the bottle).

Organic apple cider vinegar has not been pasteurized, so the enzymes in it are intact. If it's filtered or pasteurized, the enzymes are destroyed, and those enzymes may be part of the reason why it works for rosacea.

You might see organic apple cider vinegar described as "with the mother." This just means it contains the mother nutrients because it hasn't been filtered or pasteurized. Like yogurt or kefir, which contains probiotics (a fancy word for bacteria), organic apple cider vinegar contains bacteria and enzymes.

One reason why inflammatory conditions seem to be on the rise is that, in our modern, clean culture, we don't eat enough beneficial bacteria anymore. Those bacteria help our immune system (70% of which is in our guts). We pasteurize all dairy products, but pasteurization is nothing more than cooking, and it kills the beneficial bacteria as well as any "bad" bacteria. So-called "raw" foods haven't been destroyed by cooking or filtering, so they retain the probiotics and enzymes that we actually need to be healthiest.

Some people use this on their face, and some people drink it. Yes, they drink it! If you do drink it, mix it with a lot of water because it's an acid, and it is not good for your teeth! And after you drink it, swish your mouth with plain water to get that acid out. I even saw some new kombucha-like beverages at the grocery store that had apple cider vinegar in them.

I used to mix organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar 50/50 with witch hazel as a toner--I probably could use less and add some water. Not only is it the cheapest thing I could use, it worked for me. The redness decreased within a few days. I still use witch hazel plain as a toner in the mornings because my skin has cleared up to the point that I didn't feel I needed the vinegar anymore.

I don't think it does anything for papules, though. For that, I have had better luck with Retin-A micro.